Surprise Sugar Plum Fairy

by Benjamin Krudwig

Skill Level:

Beginner

Tools:

Zoom Loom
Weaving Needle
Tapestry Needle
Felting Needle
Crochet Hook

Optional Tools:

Incredible Rope Machine
Knitting Needles

Materials:

Sport Weight Wool Yarn in: Plum, Gray/Beige, and Green
Wool Roving or Leftover Yarn
Mohair Locks

Squares:

4- Plum
1- Grey/Beige
2- Green

Optional:

Beads
Embroidery Floss

Weaving:

Weave 7 squares in the colors specified above. Sew in tails and lightly full by hand in warm water. Lay flat to dry and steam press.

Assembly:

Dress

Join 3 plum squares to create a ring. On one of the open ends, pull a thread in each square along the top edge and cinch to form the top of the skirt. For the bodice, fold the 4th plum square in half and seam the short ends together to create a small loop. Join the bottom of the small loop to the top of the skirt. (This is pretty cute on its own, and with a small hanger and some thread, this could make a great ornament.)

 

Head

Start by folding the gray/beige square in half, then roll it up, securing the edge of the roll to the body of the roll by a simple whipstitch. This should allow the center of the roll to pull out, creating a small pocket. Fill this pocket with wool or leftover yarn scraps, then sew the pocket up. The “stem” of the roll will serve as the neck of the fairy, and shaping it by stitching it together further will help the look of the finished piece.

Wings and Leaf

(Make 2) Weave a length of matching yarn diagonally across the square, scrunch up the center, and then tie the length of yarn in a knot, securing the wing/leaf shape.

Arms

Using a rope machine, make 2 passes of yarn in gray/beige, approximately 1/2 yard long. Tie knots approximately 7” apart from one another, and cut the rope on either side of these knots.

Alternate method

Knit some i-cord approximately 7” long and 3-4 stitches wide.

Adding the arms

Using a crochet hook, pass the arms through the sides of the bodice of the dress.

Attach the head

Place the neck of the head into the top bodice of the dress and tack it and the arms into place.

Add the wings

Stitch a wing/leaf to the back of the bodice.

Stuff the bodice

Working on the inside, fill the bodice with wool or leftover yarn, and sew the bodice together, sewing 4 points together as shown. At this juncture, attach the remaining wing/leaf piece to create the leaves on the inside of the skirt.

Drawstring

With one yard of gray/beige, create a thin rope by securing one end of the length of yarn to a table, adding twist to it, and then folding it in half, tying a knot in one side, and then letting it double back on itself. Weave the drawstring around the bottom edge of the dress, then tie a knot where the ends meet, and cut off the excess.

Adding hair

Needle felt mohair locks or yarn into place on top of the head.

Optional

Sew beads onto the face for eyes, decorate the bodice of the dress with embroidery or beads. Wrap an extra piece of the drawstring around the waist of the dress for added decoration.

Transform the Sugar Plum Fairy into a Sugar Plum by flipping the dress inside out and pulling the drawstring. Surprise!